Pig Government Official

-37-

Jeonggwan was peeling grapefruits with his parents in the kitchen of the store next to their house. As the youngest in a family that made fruit preserves, peeling fruit was an inseparable task. Especially peeling grapefruits was always bothersome and unpleasant, but not today. Jeonggwan was humming and wiggling his bottom, intoxicated by the fragrant grapefruit scent.

“Son-. Did something good happen?”

Finally, Jeonggwan’s father asked with a curious face, chuckling as he watched him.

“No-. I’m just in a good mood.”

Our baby was in a good mood-. Dad stroked Jeonggwan’s chubby cheeks with both hands, then got up to fetch a pineapple. Jeonggwan watched his father’s back while unable to contain his joyful smile as he picked up a new grapefruit. Normally, he would have been grumbling and writing a reflection letter with swollen hands after work, but thanks to someone earlier, he could now comfortably help his parents peel grapefruits.

Earlier before leaving work, when Jeonggwan finished washing the dishes for Hwang Jun and Suki and turned around, Won Junjae was nowhere to be seen. Because of that, he rushed out of the kitchen still wearing rubber gloves, but Junjae had already left. Feeling somewhat disappointed, Jeonggwan grabbed Jihoon, who was sitting like a statue, and asked:

‘Huh? When did the director leave?’

‘…Just now.’

‘What did he say…?’

‘You… He said not to write the reflection letter…’

‘Really? Really?’

Jihoon, looking somewhat dazed, nodded slowly, his eyes showing the same confusion as when he was scolded by Won Junjae yesterday. Did he scold him for sending me to the gym and causing this incident? Anyway, being told not to write the reflection letter made Jeonggwan feel like he could fly. He was happy not to write it, and also felt proud that Won Junjae had handled for him something that even Park Jihoon couldn’t manage. 1 whine, 1 gain. I should use this often from now on.

“Hm? Who could that be?”

While Jeonggwan was giggling, his father noticed the sound of a car pulling up in front of the house first and put the pineapple he was bringing on the table. Since over 90% of their fruit preserves were sold online, they hadn’t opened a shop in a high-traffic area, but instead bought a small one-story corner store next to their house, renovated the interior nicely without even putting up a sign. Therefore, it couldn’t be a customer visiting the store, so thinking it might be a delivery, Jeonggwan’s father opened the shop door and went out. Jeonggwan also thought the same and continued peeling grapefruits, wondering if his dad would receive the package if it was a delivery.

“Oh my. Oh my. Goodness-.”

“Oh my! Jeonggwan! Jeonggwan-!”

However, at his father’s urgent call, Jeonggwan lifted his head. Why is he calling me like this? Ah, must be bees again. Mom or Jeongyun hyung are in charge of catching bees. Shoot. Even so, not wanting to get up, Jeonggwan loudly replied to his father outside.

“Dad-! Jeongyun hyung is off today and at home-!”

“Jeonggwan-! Come out and see!”

“I can’t catch bees…!”

Geez. Dad really only knows me! Jeonggwan finally got up and took off his rubber gloves. These damn bees always came because of the sweet scent from our house, always troubling Dad, the biggest coward in the family. Even if he went, he would just hug Dad and scream for Jeongyun loud enough to shake the neighborhood alley, rather than catch the bee. Still, since he sounded so urgent, Jeonggwan hurriedly went outside the store.

“What is it. Is it a hornet or…”

“Nice to see you again, Jeonggwan-nim.”

“Uh…?”

However, in front of his anxious father was not a hornet, but Secretary Oh. Jeonggwan’s eyes widened roundly, quickly looking at the car parked behind Secretary Oh. Then Secretary Oh chuckled softly and said, as if he knew what Jeonggwan was thinking.

“I came alone. He asked me to deliver this.”

“…What is this?”

Now that he looked, Secretary Oh was holding a low-chroma red shopping bag. However, Jeonggwan immediately recognized what it was. Wow-. That’s…! Seeing the red box visible through the shopping bag, Jeonggwan’s heart started beating wildly. He had seen that luxurious packaging once before.

“He said to contact him if you need anything else besides the chocolates.”

It was chocolates. From the expensive handmade chocolate shop they went to last week. It was that- insanely expensive chocolate set that included the plum chocolate that Won Junjae had eaten. Wow, crazy. He suddenly told him to bring this to me? Why? Jeonggwan received the shopping bag with an expression half questioning, half joyful.

“Please enjoy them. I’m in the middle of work, so I’ll be going now.”

“Ah, yes… Have a safe trip.”

Secretary Oh bowed to Jeonggwan and his father, then headed to the car parked behind. Jeonggwan wondered if he really came alone. Still hoping inwardly, he looked inside the car, but in the car that wasn’t as heavily tinted as the one Won Junjae usually rode in, he could see Secretary Oh sitting alone in the driver’s seat. Although he felt a bit disappointed, Jeonggwan’s heart was now racing for a different reason.

Not 1 whine, 1 gain… but 1 whine, 2 gains…!

“Jeonggwan…”

“…”

“Son…”

“…Yeah?”

While Jeonggwan was basking in happiness, his father gently poked his side with a finger. Jeonggwan turned to his father with an enraptured face, and his father also had an enraptured expression. What’s with this old man?

“You… Is that person your lover…?”

“What are you talking about. Definitely not.”

“Then… maybe…”

Ah, what maybe? Jeonggwan immediately frowned, hugging the chocolates to his chest and quickly entering the house as if he didn’t want to respond to such words. Yet Jeonggwan’s father was still watching the retreating back of Secretary Oh’s car with a benevolent face.

A handsome and dependable man who looked intellectual with glasses giving our Jeonggwan… chocolates… Since he said they weren’t dating, this must surely be that. That thing young people do before dating… that…

Some…

Yes. That man must be our Jeonggwan’s ‘some’ guy…

* * *

Upon entering the house, Jeonggwan sprinted to his room with the chocolates hugged to his chest, afraid his brothers might eat them again. However, Jeongyun, who was eating ramen at the dining table in the living room, spotted this and stood up, putting down his chopsticks to charge at Jeonggwan, saying, “Hey, what’s that in your arms-!”

“It’s something the director bought for me!”

At Jeonggwan’s shout, Jeongyun quietly deflated back down. Director… How dare this lowly one touch something the director bought. Jeongyun picked up his chopsticks again and lifted some ramen from the pot.

“…What director…?”

And then he froze in that position. Director? That Director Won Junjae he serves? That person suddenly appeared and gave something to Jeonggwan…? Jeongyun’s eyes shook tremendously as if a magnitude 9.0 earthquake had occurred.

“Wait… just… a moment ago…”

Jeongyun hurriedly picked up his phone, scrolled down from the cat video he was watching, and searched for the post he had briefly seen in the security team’s group chat after waking up from a long nap earlier. Not about the glasses moving… not about lunch menu… before that… Ah, found it.

Security Team 3 Jin Hamin: Wow, Chubby hugged the VIP.

Security Team 2 Jeon Nuri: Huh, really? OMG;

Security Team 3 Park Jinwook: Wow, is Chubby going to die today…? ㅠㅠ

Security Team 1 Kim Yunjung: Who’s Chubby?

Security Team 2 Kim Jiwon: You don’t know Chubby? Ah, Team 1 might not know ㅎ VIP’s biggest interest these days ㅎ

Security Team 1 Yoon Semin: You don’t know Chubby, the dessert thief?

Security Team 2 Lee Hyejun: Some say there are rumors they’re already dating…

Security Team 2 Jeon Nuri: Huh?? No way;

Security Team 2 Team Leader Jung Hyukkyun: ㅡㅡ No rumors.

Security Team 3 Team Leader Kim Seonju: Don’t you know mentioning VIP’s private life is forbidden? Those who mentioned it, stay behind for 2 hours of additional training.

Security Team 1 Team Leader Keum Youngju: What’s for lunch today ㅠ

Thud. Jeongyun dropped his phone on the table. When they said Chubby hugged the director, Jeongyun thought it couldn’t possibly be our Jeonggwan. The rumored Chubby who was VIP’s biggest interest these days could only be Jeonggwan, but Jeongyun tried to ignore it, thinking, “Our kid isn’t chubby… It’s not our kid…”

However, seeing the report of the glasses suddenly moving alone during work hours, followed by Jeonggwan hugging something saying the director gave it to him, Jeongyun couldn’t deny it anymore. The glasses only moved during work hours on VIP’s orders. So he had Secretary Oh give whatever that was to Jeonggwan. Even just the packaging looked nice… That’s right. There really is something between them.

At first, he thought Director Won Junjae disliked seeing our Jeonggwan and was asking him for reasons to drive him away. He thought he was always giving him the eye at the cafe because he found him unpleasant and wanted to drive him out… But that wasn’t it, they were actually hitting it off.

That’s right. He wouldn’t think of driving our Jeonggwan away. Although our kid was a bit chubby, honestly, he was too cute. Even as his brother, even as another man, Jeonggwan wasn’t gross at all. He was like a feisty and cute, chubby neighborhood cat that got lots of treats. It wasn’t at all questionable that Won Junjae would fall for Jeonggwan. Of course.

The only worry was… that our youngest, who had never dated before, might give his body and heart completely just because someone was a little nice to him… Even he thought Won Junjae changed his omega partners too often. He was worried that this innocent kid might get hurt later.